Somethin' Sweeter
by writingisright
Summary: Rose Hathaway is a nerd, a geek, a loner, an outcast, you name it. She has few friends and can be caught in her study group, underneath the school bleachers, or doodling in the margins of her notebook with music pouring through her earbuds. What happens when she gets caught with Mason Ashford, the understanding guy nearby who's with another girl, but for all the wrong reasons?AH,AU


**I was going through a bunch of CDs that I have (yes, CDs!) and I found the Taylor Swift "Fearless" one... Hehehe**

**And, I, being myself, listened to it. And then I decided to write this. I personally don't ship Mason and Rose, but when I started typing, all the pieces came together. Kind of. AU, AH, and OOC since Rosie Posie isn't the rambunctious girlie she usually is. :-) **

**Please review... If you like this fic, I'm willing to write more and am open to suggestions about songs (and couples to ship). This is my first SONGfic and polite constructive criticism will be accepted and appreciated. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own VA (Richelle Mead does *sniffles*), the song "You Belong With Me" (that's Taylor Swift's song, not mine... *cries*), or Converse shoes *sobs*). **

**Onward!**

* * *

From my dorm window, I can see Mason in his room on the phone. Judging from the look on his face, I can tell that he's probably arguing with his girlfriend, Mia. Poor Mase. She's probably going on about something snarky he must have accidentally let slip around her-or to her. I'm secretly hoping it's the latter. He catches me looking, cough, staring, and throws me a smile. I blush and then see him point to the phone and cringing as he spoke. I hide my smile as he holds the device an arm's length away. He turns around and scribbles something. Then, he just crumples it and throws it in the bin. He gestures somewhat wildly at me, and I glance up. His eyes are wide and his mouth is slightly opened, the corners curved downwards. I know that look all too well. It's his "please-save-me-now-Rose" look. I go over to my iPod and select my Tuesday night playlist. Blaring through the speakers is the music we both know Mia absolutely despises. I watch him silently as he hits the 'end' button, a slow smile spreading across his face. And that, that is the "thanks-so-much-Rose-what-would-I-do-if-I-didn't-have-you-as-my-best-friend". I smile and offer him my "don't-worry-Mase-I'd-never-leave-you" smile. After all, he was my _only_ friend. He closes the curtains, unaware of how true that smile was. Because, through thick and thin, I was always there for Mase and he was always there for me. I sigh, wondering when he'd ever open his eyes and just realise.

It's the weekend and Mason and I are walking around the somewhat deserted campus. We're both laughing and finally sit down on a bench. I realise how easy it is to be with him, around him. It's effortless, really.

"Ahhhh, finally. My feet are killing me!" I say the moment my feet are no longer on the ground.

Mason glances over and he fidgets. "Do you want me to, erm, loosen the knots?" he asks, referring to my feet.

"Oh, please," I say, placing my feet in his lap while twisting awkwardly on the bench to lean back, but also to hide my burning cheeks with my hair.

He chuckles and unlaced my sneakers. His feet work wonders, and, miraculously, they aren't so sore anymore.

"There you go," he says softly.

"Mmmmm. Thanks, Mase," I whisper as I sit upright to criss-cross my legs and lean my head against his shoulder. My hand rests on my knee, and I can see his hand slowly inching towards it, but before I can open my mouth to say something stupid about the weather, the devil herself storms in out direction. She's wearing her ridiculously short cheerleader getup and a pair of fifty billion inch heels. She shoots me a glare full of ice and daggers, icicles, really, but my face remains eerily neutral. I'm frantic inside, though: Mason's in trouble. He gets up warily and gingerly walks towards her.

"Awwww, come here, sexy," she practically purrs. Ugh. I see Mason gulp and internally, my eyebrow rises.

Why is he even with her if he doesn't even like her?

* * *

I do a quick once-over in the mirror. I'm wearing faded jean shorts and a T-shirt that says "This is not a pipe" with the picture of a pipe on it. The back is crocheted, an embellishment that I though was necessary. Oh, and of course, I'm wearing my signature red Converse. I shrug to myself and grab my bag and keys, locking the door behind me. And then, I'm off to my study group, but for some reason, I sense that something's off. Maybe I'm just being me. The world may never know.

When I come back to my dorm room, it's almost midnight and I let my heavy backpack fall loudly on the ground. I kick my shoes off and hear a quiet rhythm being tapped out on my door. Three quick knocks, three long ones, and three quick ones again. I know that code and wonder what he's doing here at this ungodly hour.

I open the door to a frazzled-looking Mason. My mouth hangs open, but I almost immediately shut it. He walks inside without a word and I follow him. He sits on the only piece of furniture in my room at the current moment. My bed.

Stop it, Rose, I mentally chastise myself.

I sit beside him before asking what was the matter.

"I'm fine," he responds.

"Mason."

Nothing.

"Mason Ashford."

Still nothing. Hmmm, something's up. That usually works.

"Mase, come on, I know you better than that. Tell me what's going on."

He lets out a long sigh and searches for my eyes.

"Mia got mad."

I raise my eyebrows. "Why would she be mad? You didn't do anyth-"

"I was with you," he interrupts, and I swear, I see something flash in his eyes, but it disappears before I can place it.

"What do you mean?" I ask, now thoroughly confused.

"The park? Your feet? My hands? Your head? My shoulder?"

_Oh._

Well, shit.

"Damn, Mase, did she scare you so badly that you can't even form a complete sentence?" I joke.

He tries to keep a straight face, but I see the corners or his mouth twitching up and morphing into a mega-watt grin.

"There it is," I say softly. There's the easygoing smile that I've been waiting to see. The one that I fell for. Cliché, I know, but true. I can see the tears that were going to come evaporate.

"Um, Rose?"

"Yeah, Mase?"

"Well. I...I want you to know...I-er, nevermind," he mumbles incoherently.

"Thanks," he says instead. "Nice shirt, by the way," he adds.

I nod.

After I guide him out of my dorm, I slide down against the wall to think. It's so damn frustrating.

_Why can't he see that we belong together?!_

There were those nine familiar raps at the door again.

I jump up just before the door swings open, revealing a perplexed Mason.

"Rose who were you yelling at?"

"Huh?" I ask rubbing my eyes.

"Just now I head you say 'why can't he see that we belong together'...so I was wondering..." he trails off.

Crap.

Did I say that out loud?

Yes, you fool, yes you did.

I flush a deep red and look down. "Nothing Mase," I lie.

"Who were you talking about?"

If it's even possible, I blush an even darker shade of pink.

"No one," I lie again.

"You're lying. I can see on your face."

"You," I blurt out.

He seems surprised, and then sceptical. "You're messing with me. right, Rosie?"

I shake head and study the extremely interesting ground.

"Rose..." Mason murmurs, cupping my face with both hands. I can't do anything but look him straight in the eyes.

My knees buckle at what I see there because it startles me. Pure adoration. And a playful glint. And a glimmer of... hope?

He captures my mouth with his and my knees give in completely. He swoops an arm around my back before I collapse. We stumble over to wall and somehow we're still kissing. I feel him smile against my mouth

Finally, we break apart well and look at each other.

"I've been waiting to do that ever since I met you," we breathe together. His face lights up in a boyish grin.

"Jinx" I say. "You owe me a doughnut."

"Oh?" he asks. "How about something sweeter?"

And then he kisses me again.


End file.
